Shoulder board or similar article



Nov. 28, 1944. J STANTON 2,363,814

SHOULDER BOARD OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Fi led Oct. 12, 1942 umummmmn l llllllllllllll llllll ATTORNEY ing the fastener member in releasedpos tion: Fig-L is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Patented Nov. 28, 1944 SHOULDER BOARD OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Franklin J. Stanton, Brooklyn, N. Y.,.assignor. of one-half to Arthur Stanton, Brooklyn,N. Y.

. Applicationoctober 12, 1942, Serial No. 461,806

This invention relates to devices known as shoulder boards which are worn by naval ofiicers on the-shoulders of the jackets of their uniforms.

One object of the invention is the provision of a shoulder board which can be made in its l entirety without the use of fabric or metal, which light and yet of the proper stiffness, which is impervious to. moisture and which .is capable of retaining its shape indefinitely.

Another object of the invention is the further object of the invention is to provide a shoulder board of such construction that the main or plate element thereof is formed in a single piece, without lamination or plying of stiffening-and covering materials heretofore required in the manufacture of shoulder boards. 4

Another object of the inventionis to provide ashoulder board or other article with an im-" proved meansfor fastening the same inposition. A yet further object of the invention is generally toprovide a shoulder board of improved construction, especially in respect to the simplicity of the construction and the durability thereof. l

The above and otherobjects, features and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying illustrative drawingz In the drawing:

Fig.1 is a top view of a shoulder board embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is abottomview thereof;

Fig.8 is a sectional view Fig.2; i Fig. 4 is an edge view, mainlv in elevation. and partly in section, of the shoulder hoard. showon the line 33" of Fig. 2; i I

Fig. 6 is afragmentary view of one side ofthe fasteningmember;

Fig; '7 is a view. in elevation, of one end of the shoulder board, the fasten ng member being removed. as seen from the right of Fi 2.

Referring now to thedrawing in detail. t e

shoulder board In embodying the present invention is of such construction that it can be a is pre erably formed of a plastic. Anv of the well-knownplastics can be used for mak ng this shoulder board, for example. cellulose acetat Bakelite, vinylite, etc. Said shoulder board comprises a plate l2 of the regulation size and shape.

provision of a shoulder board formed entirely or substantially entirely of a plastic.

4 Claims. (or. 2-246). d

.Saidplate I2 is formed of plastic and is of suitable thickness so that it is substantially stiff and can not be easily bent. The insignia elements 14, I6 and l8 are secured to the upper or front surface of plate. l2 and are also preferably formed of a plastic. Said insignia elements can be molded integrally with plate l2 or can be otherwise unitedtherewith, for example, by forrning said insignia elements as initially separate members which are subsequently adhesively secured to surface 20 of the plate in any suitable way. It will be understood that the adhesive securementmay be provided by applying a solvent for the plastic material, for example, acetone when the plastic utilized is cellulose acetate.

Plate-can be cut from a sheet of plastic and need not be molded as a separate element. It will be understoodthat the color of plate I 2 is black, preferably a dull black, and that the outer surfaces of the insignia elements are of gold color.

The fastening means for shoulder board It! is also preferably formed entirely of a plastic and comprises a shoulderedstud 22 which is fixed to and projects from the rearqsurface 24 near one end of plate I 2'. Said stud has a shank 26 and a peripheral flange 28 which provides the shoulder portion of the stud. A fastening member here shown as a plastie strip 30 of substantial stiffness is removably connected tostud 22 by means of a bayonet slot 34 provided at one end of strip 30. The opposite end of strip 30 is provided withlateral extensions 36 which have bevelled edge portions 38 on their inner surfaces. Lateral projections 36 of fastening member 3!) are releasably engagedby retaining members 4!] being removably engageable in recesses 42 provided at the inner cornersofsaid members. Ribs 4'4 and 4B are provided on the end surface of plate I2 and on the upper surface of member 3!], respectively, said rib 46 being positioned near t e laterally projected edge ofmember 3!]. Stud 22. retaining members 40 and rib 44 provided on the end surface 24 of 4 plate I2 are all preferably formed of a plastic and can be molded with said plate when the latter is molded or can be formed as separate elements and subsequently secured to said plate.

It will be understood that when lateral proiecti'ons 36 of member 3E3 are engagedin recesses 42 of retaining members 40. rib 44 of nlate I 2 is positioned in front of rib .46 of member), as illustrated in F gs; 3 and 5, andreleasably prevents movement of member 30 longitudinally of plate I 2, lateral movement of member 30 being substantially prevented by the confronting side This pressure results in forging rib 46, which it will be observed has a, rounded outer surface, over rib 44 which has a similar rounded surface, thus moving lateral projections 36 out of recesses 42 and bringing member 30 to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 in which said fastening member is connected to plate I2 only by the engagement of stud 22 in the small end portion of the bayonet slot 34. In this position of fastening member 30 the latter can be swung clear of retaining members 40 about the axis of stud 22 and if desired said retaining member can be completely disconnected from plate l2 by aligning the larger end portion of the bayonet slot 34 with the "pe-,

ripheral shoulder of the stud.

It will of course be understood that the shoulder board is attached to the jacket by passing strip 3fl'through the conventional loops on the jacket of the uniform and that when it is desired to secure fastening member 30 in retaining members 40, fastening member 30 is positioned as illustrated in Fig. 4, stud engaging in the small end of bayonet slot and rib 46 abutting rib 44. When the parts are in that position, a pressure exerted on, the end 50 of fastening member toward theopposite end 48 thereof and downwardly toward the surface 24 of plate [2 results in rib 46 snapping over rib 40 and in the projection of bevelled edges, 38 into recesses From the above description, it will be apparent that the construction embodying the present invention-is well adapted to accomplish the sev eral objects thereof. Also, it will be noted that the shoulder board embodying the present invention is of light weight and yet possesses the proper degree of stiffness. Also, it will be noted that there is no fabric which might become worn or frayed and that the stiffness of plate I2 is inherent therein and is not formed as the result of incorporting a separate stiffening element which would require the application of 'a fabric or other covering layer thereto. Further, it Will be noted that since the plate l2'is formed of a plastic it is waterproof and for this additional reason the shoulder board is not subject to impairment by moisture. I

While I have shown'and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein shown ,or described, I and that inthe illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the idea underlying this invention. Accordingly I do not wish -to be limited to the construction as specifically shown or described herein except to the extent which may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article of the kind described, a plate, a shouldered stud carried by said plate at the back thereof, a strip positioned, at the back of said plate and extending longitudinally thereof, said strip having abayonet slot at one end thereof in which said stud is received for removably securing said strip to said plate, laterally spaced retaining members fixed to the back of said plate in positions to engage the other end of said strip,-and lateral projections at said other end of the strip releasably engageable by said retaining members, respectively, for releasably securing said other end of said strip. 1 2. A shoulder board for an ofiicers uniform, said shoulder board comprising a plate formed of a plasticand comprising the main part of the shoulder board which is exposed to view when said shoulder board is worn on the uniform, a shouldered stud carried by said plate at the back thereof, a substantially non-bendable strip positioned at the back of said plate'and extending longitudinally thereof, said strip having a bayonet slot at one end thereof in which said stud is received for removably securing said strip to said plate, laterally spaced retaining members fixed to the back of said plate in positions to engage the other end of said strip, andlateral projections at said other end of the strip releasably engageable by said retaining members, respectively, for releasably securing'said'other end ofsaid strip.

3. A shoulder board for an officers uniform, said shoulder board comprising a waterproof homogeneous plate consisting of a solid plastic material, the front surface of said plate constituting the front exposed main surface portions of the shoulder board, a waterproof insignia member denoting the ofiicers rank carried by said plate on said front surface, said insignia member being also formed of solid plastic material, and means carried by said plate at the back thereof for releasably securingthe shoulder board to the shoulder portion'of the uniform, said last mentioned means comprising a shouldered stud carried by said plate at theback thereof, a fastening member having agbayonet slot near one end thereof for releasable engagement of said stud therein, whereby to releasably connect said fastening member to said plate at the back thereof, and retaining means on, the

back of said plate for releasably engaging said fastening member at the opposite end thereof.

4. In an article of the kind described, a plate, a shouldered stud carried by said plate at the back thereof, a strip positioned at theback of said plate and extending longitudinally thereof,

said strip having a bayonet slot at one end thereof in which said stud is received for "removably securing said strip to said plate, laterally spaced retaining members-fixed to the back of said plate in positions 'to engage the other end of said strip, and lateral projections at said other end of the strip releasably engageable by said retaining members, respectively, forreleasably securing said other end of said strip, and interengaging members on said plate and strip for releasably'holding said strip against movement longitudinally-of said plate, said-stud being in the retaining position of said bayonet slot when said last mentioned members are in v said strip holding relation.

FRANKLIN J. 's'rAn'rort, 

